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No. 343,132. Patented June 1, 1 886.

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Patented June 1, 1886. F2325.

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DISK HARROW. No. 343,182. Patented June 1, 1886.-

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WITNESSES INVENTOR g hamles lia /Dow N PiTEBS. Phmo-Lilhu mphur.Washingtnm D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES LA DOWV, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK.

DISK-'HARROW.

SPECIFECATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 343,132, dated June 1,1886.

Serial No. 136,560. (No model.)

0 all whom it may concern:

Fig. 2, a plan view; Fig. 3, a rear View; Fig.

4, also a plan view, showing the machine in a somewhat differentposition; Fig. 5, a detail view showing by full lines the bifurcateddraft-connection between the dislcgangs and the cross-beam of themachine, and by dotted lines the side action of the rear ends of thedraft-connections in opposite directions for permitting the verticalvibration of the ends of the gangs. Figs. 6, 7 and S are detail viewsshowing the inner ends of the weight-boxes and the chain which connectsthem. Fig. 9 is a detail view showing one form of connection between theinner ends of the disk-gangs,

and Figs. 10 and 11 are detail views illnstrat-' ing other and preferredmanners of connecting the inner ends of the disk-gangs.

A is the tongue or pole ofthe machine, and B the crossbar, which isshown as bolted to the u ndersidc of the tongue. Bifurcated braces orconnections cextend from the outer ends of the cross-bar to thepole-that is, on each side there is a pair of braces a, which our braceboth the upper and lower sides of the cross-bar and tongue. The disks 0are mounted upon a gang-shaft and separated by suitablespacing-thimbles, c, as usual. The special and preferred construction ofthe gang-shaft and the manner of joining the gangs at their inner endsare described hereinafter. Each gang is provided with two bearing'boxes,D and E. These boxings, so far as the bearing of the gang-shaft thereinis concerned nay be constructed in the manner set forth in my Patent N0. 297,524, granted to me April 22, 1884, or in any other suitablemanner which will permit the desired vertical and horizontal rocking ofthe gang-shafts.

The upper sections of the boxings are, however, preferably cast asillustrated, particularly in Figs. 1 and 3, so as to leave ahorizontalslot, d, therein.

The connections between the inner boxes, D, and the cross-beam Bconstitute the draft-bars, and the construction is as follows: There isa bifurcated draftconnection, F, between each box and the end of thecross-beam. The rear end of .the upper bar, f, of each pair of bars F,which constitute a draft-colmeetion, is inserted in the horizontal slot(1 in the upper section of the box D, and projects over and rests on theaxle of the gang. The other end of this bar embraces the top of thecrossbeam, while the other bar, f, extends from the under side of theboxing D to the under side of the cross-beam, the two bars'constitutingthe bifurcated connection being bolted to the boxing by a verticalbolt,f, about which they turn, as is hereinafter described. The oppositeends of the bars ff are also bolted to the end of the cross-beam by abolt, a, which also serves to pivot the bifurcated braces a to thecross-beam. It will be perceived by this structure that the bifurcatedbraces F turn on vertical pivots both at the boxings D and at the endsof the cross-beam, to accommodate the varying adjustments of the gangs,and also to permit vertical vibration of the ends of the gangs. Thebifurcated draft-connections may be attached rigidly to the cross-bar,and may be hinged to the gang in any preferred way.

The adjusting-bars G, by which the angle of the gangs is varied, areconnected with a lever pivoted in the pole of the machine, and providedwith a suitable rack and detent, as usual. From this lever the barsextend rearwardl y in divergent directions, and are preferably bolted inhorizontal slots (1 in the boxings E, in the same manner that thedraft-bars f are seated in the slots in the boxings D; but they may beattached in other ways. The rear ends of the bars G are bent at so as toproperly enter between the disks on each side of the boxings E, and fromthe bend g to their ends they are substantially parallel with thebifurcated draft-connections F. Pivoted bracebars H, which are bolted tothe ends of the cross-beam by the pivot bolts a, are connected with thebars G by swivel connections h.

Chains may be usedinstead of the brace-bar H, and either construction isdesigned to prevent lateral movement of the frame relatively to thegangs. It will be obvious now that by means of the bars G the angle ofthe gangs may be adjusted, and that the bifurcated draftbars F and theadjusting -bars G will turn upon their vertical pivot-bolts, and permitthe free horizontal movement of the gangs.

The braces H maybe omitted, and, if desired, a stop may be attached toeach end of cross-bar for the swinging draftlinks to strike against, andthus limit the horizontal motions of the gangs. By employing abifurcatcd draftconnection between the cross-bar and diskgang I alsoobtain great freedom and range of vertical movement for the ends of thegangs, as the upper and lower limbs of said draftconnections are free toswing horizontally at their rear ends in opposite directions from theirpivot on the cross -bar, as shown by dotted linesin Fig. 5. Said form ofdraft-connections also prevents deflection of the main frame at thecross-bar, and the upper rear ends of the said draft-connections restingover the center of the axle prevents torsional strain on the verticalpivots at those points.

Single draftconnections having bifurcated ends, or singledraft-connections entering into bifurcations formed on the journal-boxesand on the cross -bar, may be substituted, if desired; but I prefer theconstruction shown in the drawings. 7

So far as I am aware I am the first to connect the adjustingbars of thegangs outside. of their (lraltconnections with the main frame orcross-beam. By this construction I obtain a greater facility ofadjustment, and Iconsider i the change a substantial and practicalimprovement.

Heretofore it has been customary to connect the gangs to the frame insuch a manner that the outer connections had no vertical move ment, butformed a rigid fulcrum on which the gangs vibrated; nor, heretofore,have the outer connections been free to move horizontally to accommodatethe adjustment of the gangs. These two features I consider materialimprovements. 4

By employing a bifurcated draft-connection F, which is bolted to theboxing and to the cross-beam by vertical pivot-bolts, the gang isprevented from tilting or rocking sidewise a feature which is speciallyimportant when weight-boxes are used in connect-ion with a harrow-ashereinafterdescribed. I also, by means of the vertical pivot bolts, givethe structure great freedom of motion and facility of adj ustmentwithout binding or straining the parts; and this structure, inconnection with the bifurcated braces a, which connect the pole andcrossbeam, give the machine strength and simplicity. By pivoting thedraft-connection at one end to the cross bar and by a vertical pivot tothe gang at the rear end the buffers abut during all angular andvertical vibrations of the gangs, as the pivoted draftarmsswing toaccommodate the movement of the gangs. a

The lever for adjusting the gangs may be pivoted in the pole nearer theseat of the machine than shown in the drawings. In that case, however,Iprefer to employ a pivoted short lever, I, in the position in which themain lever is shown in the drawings, and to connect the main lever withthe short lever bya horizontal link either above or beneath the-pole, asdesired.

In Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 9 (for counteracting the end-thrust of the gangs)I have shown their adjoining or inner ends with ac'onically'shapedbuffer, K, on the end of one of the gang-shafts, which fits into acorrespondingly conicallysocketed piece, K, on the other end of thegangshaft. This construction also prevents the ends of the gang-shaftsfrom rising and falling independently of each other, and the conjointaction of the two conical surfaces tends constantly to bring thegang-shafts into the same horizontal plane, and admits of theirhorizontal adjustment and vertical vibration. This construction is newwith me, so far as I am aware, and works well; but the same re sults areaccomplished by the arrangements shown in- Figs. 10 and 1.1, by whichthe gangs are also kept from spreading apart. The same results may alsobe accomplished in other ways.

In Fig. 11 the gang-shafts L are hollow, and are formed with a shoulderor flange at the inner end, between which and the clamp-nuts Z, on theouter ends of the shafts, the disks and thimbles are clamped. Buffers M,with convex abutting-faces, are also secured on the inner ends of thegang-shafts, between the inner disks and the flanges or shoulders L,above mentioned. The abutting convex surfaces of the buffers Mpermit theinner ends of the gangshafts to roll upon each other. \Vhen desired,however, to prevent their separation under any circumstantes, I employbolts N, which pass entirely through the hollow gang-shafts, and areprovided with clamp-nuts a at their outer ends. The inner ends of thesebolts are formed with eyes N, which interlock, so that when the boltsare passed through the gangshafts, as shown in Fig. 11, and the nuts nscrewed up the gangs will be united by a strong swivel-connection, whichleaves them free to roll upon each other, as above described. Thebuffers M are socketed or cut out, as clearly indicated in Fig. 11, forthe accommodation of the eyes N. This is the structure which I prefer touse, and it allows the gangs to revolve independently or turn inopposite directions, as the hollow axle is designed to revolve withoutrevolving the bolt passing through it. The axle need not be hollow itsentire length. In Fig. 10, however, I have shown an arrangementsubstantially the same in principle, which is preferably employed whensome other means of preventing the separation of the inner ends of thegang-shafts is adoptedas, for instance, in the present case, where achain which connects the inner ends of the weight-boxes is employed, asis hereinafter described.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 10 the structure is substantially thesame as in Fig. 11, except that the bolts N extend only part way intothe hollow gang'shafts L, so that should the ends of the gangs separatethe bolts will slide in the hollow shafts and permit the movement. Thebuffers on the ends of the V gangs are, however, prevented by the boltsfrom slipping past each other, and the inner ends of the gangs are thusmaintained in sub stantially the same horizontal plane. Of course thearrangement shown in this figure may be used with or without other meansfor preventing the endwise movement of the gangs, as it is obvious thatthe bolts N could be of such length as to render their entire withdrawalfrom the hollow shaft impossible, and they would still tend to maintainthe gangshafts in the same horizontal plane. It is ob vious that theend-thrust of the gangs tends to cause the bu tfers to abut against eachother.

A construction in which the inner ends of the gangs make contact in somemanner and the adj Listing-bars diverge from their point of connectionon the pole is desirable, for the reason that there is no liability ofsod and rubbish being dragged by the bars and dropped in front of theadjacent edges of the inner disks, as is the case where a single bar isarranged beneath the pole. The space between the inner disks istherefore less liable to become clogged with rubbish, and they can makea clean smooth out.

In Figs. 1 and 3, and. in dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 4, I haveindicated weight-boxes for insuring the uniform cutof the disks, as iswell understood. These boxes are mounted upon standards 0, which arepreferably cast in one piece with the upper sections of thejournal-boxes D E, though they may be made separate and bolted to thesaid boxes, if desired. Partitions may divide the spacein the boxes andthe weight therein be apportioned as desired. The weight-boxes also, ofcourse, constitute gang frames or beams.

I prefer to employ a brace-link, P, which extends from the under side ofeach weight box or beam to the end of the eross beam,and is secured bythe bolt a. This link supplements the bifurcated connection F, andserves to maintain the weight-box in a vertical position. It is not,however, an essential element, though a desirable one.

The inner ends of the weight-boxes are connected by a chain, Q, whichprevents the separation of the gangs, as before referred to. This chainis preferably connected with cams g on the ends of the weight-boxes. Thepurpose of this arrangement is that in the horizontal adjustment of thegangs the chain will be wound or unwound on the edges of the cams, sothat it is kept substantially at the same tension all the time. Thecams, however, are notnecessary for this purpose, though they aredesirable. The chain may be removably secured on the cams so as to beadjusted. The buffers striking against each other, and the chain beingmaintained under a suitable tension, the inner ends of the gangs will beprevented from rising by the strain of the chain, while they will befree to fall as the chain will be slackened by that movement. The chainalso prevents the gangs from spreading apart whenthe machine is backed;but other means may be employed for this purpose, and the chain may beremoved, in which case the inner ends of the gangs can rise, and thentheywill be flexiblein both up and down movements to conform tounevenness of surface.

It is obvious that so far as some of the features of my invention areconcerned, others may be dispensed with. NVhile I descrlbe the detailsof construction preferred by me, it is obvious that they may be variedwithout departing from the invention, which contemplates, broadly,suchorganization as shall render any other equivalent mechanism capable ofoperating substantially as the elements hereinbefore described.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination of a main frame composed ofa pole and a rigid crossbar, diskgangs, draft-connections between themain frame and disk-gangs, and adjusting-barsfor varying the angle ofthe gangs relatively to the cross-bar and connected with the gangsoutside of the draft-connections.

2. The combination of a pole, a rigid crossbar, disk-gangs connectedwith the crossbar by draft-connections, an adj usting-lever on the pole,and connections between the lever and the disk-gangs at points outsideof the connections between the gangs and the crossbar, for varying theangle of the disks relatively to the cross-bar.

3. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the frame composed ofa pole and rigid cross-bar, the disk-gangs, the draft-connectionsbetween the disk-gangs and cross-bar, the adjusting-bars connected withthe diskgangs outside of the draft-co1mections of the gangs, andconnections between the frame and the adj listing-bars.

4. The combination of a pole, a rigid crossbar, two disk-gangs, thedraft-bars between the disk-gangs and the cross-bar, and the adjusting-bars for varying the angle of the gangs connected with the gangsoutside of the draftconnections, and arranged parallel with thedraft-bars. v

5. The combination of a frame consisting of a pole and cross-bar,disk-gangs angularly adjustable independently of the frame,draftconnections between the frame and disk-gangs, and adjusting devicesfor varying the angle of the gangs, applied to the gangs outside of thedraft-connections.

6. The combination of a pole, a cross-bar,

bifurcated braces connecting the pole and crossbar, disk-gangs andbifurcated draftbars which pivotally embrace the upper and arms whichconnect the cross-bar and diskgangs, and are adapted to permit the gangsto be horizontally adjusted on pivot-bolts connecting the draftarms tothe gang or journalframe, and also adapted to permit the vibration ofthe ends of the gangs through the motion of the draft-arms on theirpivot-bolts at the cross-bar.

9. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the frame, adisk-gang, a horizontal slotted boxing on the gang, and a draft-bar, f,in the slot, and another or under draft-bar attached to the under sideof the boxing.

10. The combination of the frame, a diskgang, a horizontally-slottedboxing on the gang, and a bifurcated draft-bar consisting of bars f fwhich embrace the upper and lower sides of the boxing and frame.

11. The combination of a main frame, diskgangs hinged thereto, and achain or other flexible connection connecting the gangs, and arrangedabove their inner ends, and adapted to act as a stop to prevent theinner ends of the gangs from risi n 12. The combination of a main frame,diskgangs hinged thereto, and a flexible connection withoutincasingboxing,arranged between the inner ends of the gangs.

13. The combination of the pole, a rigid cross-beam, vibratorydisk-gangs, the draftconncctions between the cross-beam and diskgangs,and the connections between the pole or frame and the disk-gangs outsideof the draft-connections, said latter outside connections being free torise and fall with the vibrations of the gangs, and adapted to push andpull to adjust the angle of the gangs.

14:. The combination of a frame consisting of a pole, a rigid crossbar,disk-gangs, draftlinks between the cross-bar and disk-gangs, and theadjnsting-connections between the frame and dislvgangs, outside of thedraftlinks, both the inner links and outer connections being adapted tofollow the horizontal movement of the gangs in their adjustment.

15. The combination of the disk-gangs and mechanism (without a casing orbox) adapted to cause the inner ends ofthe gangs to run toward a commoncenter.

16. The combination of the main frame and disk-gangs with eyebolts orequivalent devices, which connect the inner ends of the gangs.

17. The combination of the hollow gangshafts, the eyebolts whichinterlock at the inner ends of the shafts and extend through the hollowgang-shafts, andsecuring devices on the ends of said bolts.

18. The combination of the hollow gangshafts, the interlockingsecuring-bolts which extend through the shafts, and the recessed bufferson the innercnds of the gang-shafts.

19. The combination of the main frame, disk-gangs, draft-connectionsembracing the top and bottom of the main frame and gang or journalframe, a vertical pivot at each end of said connections, from which thegangs derive both vertical vibration and horizontal adjustment, andmechanism for varying the angle of the gangs.

20. The combination of a main frame, angularly-adjustable disk-gangs,and mechanism without a boxing independent of the gangshafts, adapted toreceive their end-thrust, and also to prevent their inner ends fromslipping past each other.

21. The combination of a main frame, diskgangs mounted on hollow shafts,and devices entering the hollow of said shafts and adapted to maintainthe inner ends of the gangs on snbstantiall y the same horizontal plane.

22. The combination of a main frame, disk gangs hinged thereto andmounted on recessed shafts, and devices entering the recess of said 9shafts and adapted to prevent lateral movement of the gangs relativelyto each other.

23. The combination of a main frame, diskgangs hinged thereto, a chainor other flexible connection arranged above the inner ends of the gangs,and abutting devices attached to each gang below the chain and adaptedto act as a fulcrum against the tension of the chain, to prevent theinner ends of the gangs from risin 21. The combination of a pole,vibrating diskgangs which make contact at their inner ends, adjustingmechanism on the pole, and adjusting-bars which diverge from theireonncction on the pole to their connections on the gangs, and are freeto vibrate vertically at their rear ends to allow the inner ends of thegangs to vibrate above or below a level position. a

In testimony whereof I have hereunto'snb scribed my name.

CHARLES LA DOW.

XVitnesscs:

WM. P. RUDD, B. LSTANTON.

